Translating machines



July 16, 1957 Filed Oct. 26, 1955 L. Z. LA FOREST ET AL TRANSLATINGMACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS July 16, 1957 2, LA FOREST ET AL2,799,733

TRANSLATING MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f w m m 03 W E@H R mmw I INVENTORS I Louis ZLaFErreaf July 16, 1957 1 2. LA FOREST ETAL 2,799,733

TRANSLATING MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 MN '0 EK m2 .me u 2 L Illlllill 1 win-"null" United States Patent TRANSLATING MACHINESLouis Z. La Forest, Parsippany, N. J and Richard Kobler, New York, N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to McGraw-Edison Company, Elgin,IlL, a corporation of Delaware Application October 26, 1953, Serial No.388,093

13 Claims. (Cl. 179100.4)

This invention relates to novel improvements in dictating machines andparticularly to such improvements as will enable translating machines tobe usable alternatively for recording dictation or transcribingdictation.

The invention is preferably incorporated in small, portable dictatingmachines so as to facilitate the alternative use thereof in theexecutives otfice for recording dictation or in the secretarys officefor transcribing the recorded dictation. However, the invention hasmerits in connection with translating machines intended purely fordictation-recording purposes, and no unnecessary limitation of certainaspecets of the invention in connection with transcribing machines istherefore intended.

It is an object of our invention to provide a dictating machine withremote control for performing selected functions according to whetherthe machine is conditioned basically for recording or reproducing.

Another object is to provide such machine wherein the remote control isoperable to enable reproduction of the last portion of ones recordeddictation while the machine is set for recording, and alternativelywherein the same remote control is operable to backspace the reproducingdevice by any desired amount while the machine is set for reproducing.

Another object is to provide a novel utilization of the principalelements of the machine for performance of a plurality of functions.

A specific object is to lift the reproducing device from the record asan incident prior to each backspacing thereof principally through use ofelements that perform also other functions.

Another object is to provide a novel translating machine which isadapted for alternative use either as a dictating machine or as atranscribing machine, and it is a further object to realize suchcombined machine without involving idle control elements for either use.

These and other objects and features of our invention will be apparentfrom the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of our invention reference is had to :theaccompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a fractional perspective view of a dictating :machine andassociated control devices in which our in- -vention is incorporated;

Figure 1a is a view of apparatus attachable to the dictating machine ofFigure l for adapting that machine for transcribing purposes;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism of the dictating machine asseen with the top section of the housing removed;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view taken substantially on the line 33.of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of circuits and mechanism of the presentmachine;

Figure 5 is a fractional front elevation of the left-hand portion of themechanism of the machine with parts shown in section on the line 5-5 ofFigure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFigure 5;

Figure 7 is a fractional section on the line 7--7 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an elevational view with parts in section as seen from theline 8--8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fractional section taken substantially on the line 9-9 ofFigure 8;

Figure 10 is a fractional section taken substantially on the line 10-10of Figure 9 but showing the lever 117 in its other operative position;and

Figure 11 is a fractional view principally in elevation as seen from theline 11,11 of Figure 3.

The present invention is described in connection with a dictatingmachine of the form described in detail in the pending Somersapplication Serial No. 347,875, filed April 10, 1953, and commonly ownedwith the present application, and to which reference may be had as tospecific details.

This form of machine comprises relatively-flat lower and upperpan-shaped housing sections 11 and 12 which are rectangular as viewedfrom the top and which meet mainly on a medial plane 13 shown inFigure 1. In the right end of the machine there is a horizontal slot 14for insertion and removal of disc records into and from the machine; inthe forward right half portion there is a long horizontal opening 15 forclearing outwardlyextending indexing keys 16 and 17 which travel alongthe front of the machine; in the upper right-hand end wall there is anarrow rectangular opening 18 to receive an index slip (not shown); andin the top wall extending from the opening 18 there is a slot 19 forexposing a central band portion of the index slip along the lengththereof.

Connected electrically to the machine by a cable 20 fractionally shown(Figure 1) is the usual handpiece 21 having an enlarged end portionhousing a combination microphone-receiver 22 (see Figure 4) and a handleportion provided with a start-stop control 23 and an auxiliary control24 according to my invention, as will appear.

The mechanism of the dictating machine comprises a turntable 25 having acentral shaft 26 journalled in the lower housing section. Drive powerfor the turntable is taken from a motor M connected in a power line 27including a master switch 28 (Figure 4). The motor M has a drive pulley29 coupled by a belt 30 to a drive spindle 31 of a friction gearingcomprising also an intermediate friction wheel 32. The intermediatewheel is urged constantly into engagement with the rim of the turntableand bears normally also against a brake shoe 33 in response to a spring34 according to the pending Dietz application Serial No. 319,825, filedNovember 12, 1952, and having common ownership with the presentapplication. Force applied in the direction of arrow 35 to a linkage 36,as by an electromagnet 37 shown in Figure 4, will cause the intermediatewheel to be propelled from the brake shoe into frictional engagementwith the drive spindle 31. The electromagnet 37 is connected in thepower line 27 through the master switch 28 and a manual start-stopswitch'38 operable by the start-stop button 23 so that upon pressingthis button while the master switch is closed the friction gearing isengaged to start rotation of the turntable.

ber of the clamp. The lever 41 is pivoted at 44 to the cross bridge 40.The clamp is preferably biased -into record-engaging position by aspring not shown, so that upon pressing downwardly on the right endofthe lever 41 the clamp is disengaged and upon releasing the lever theclamp is reengaged. Such operation of the lever 41 is effected byopening and closing a cover 45 on the upper housing section (Figure 1)through a cam (not shown) operable by the cover and engaging a roller41a on the lever.

Below the lower lefthand portion of the turntable there is a subcarriage46 mounted slidably for traveling movement on a pair of cross rods onlythe front one of which is shown at 47 (Figures 2 and 3). Thissubcarriage carries a circular feed nut 48 held frictionally restrainedfrom turning about its axis and constantly engaging a rotatablysupported feed screw 49. The feed screw is mounted in parallel relationto the support rod 47 and is coupled by worm gearing 50 to the shaft ofthe turntable 25 'so that the subcanriage 46 is moved with a slowprogre'ssive movement whenever the turntable is rotated. The frictionalrestraint on the feed nut however allows the carriage to be movedmanually in either direction by force exerted on the carriage.

Overlying the turntable to the left of the bridge 40 is a main carriage51. This main carriage has a depending bifurcated extension 52 at itsforward end carrying trunnions 53 which pivotally engage an aperturedstandard 54 on the subcarriage (Figures 2 and to join the main carriageto the latter for unitary movement therewith. Ioumalled to the rearwardend of the main carriage is a roller 55 (Figure 2) which rides on ahorizontal support rod 56 that is mounted on the bridge 40, to supportthe main carriage at its rearward end for traveling crosswise movement.

The central portion of the main carriage is a hollow structure ofsubstantially rectangular shape in which there are mounted a recordingdevice 57 and a reproducing device 58. The recording device is mountedfor up and down pivotal movement on cone pivots 59 threaded through theside walls of the main carriage, and is both weight and spring biaseddownwardly, the spring biasing means comprising a tension spring 60between a rearwardly-extending arm 61 on the recording device and a tab62 on the main carriage. In response to this biasing a record-engageableelement or stylus63 of the recording device is held normally inengagement under pressure with the mounted record. The reproducingdevice has a forwardly-extending arm 64 secured to themain carriagethrough a universal coupling 65 for both up and down, and sidewise,movement of a record-engageable element or stylus 66 with the record inresponse to a weight biasing of the device.

Extending sidewise from the free ends of the recording and reproducingdevices are pins 66a and 67 engageable by respective lift arms 68 and 69for raising the recording and reproducing devices from the record. Thelift arms are pivoted to the right wall of the main carriage and areoperable by a common control member 70 in the manner shown and describedin the aforementioned Somers application, this being such that upontotal release of the control member 70 both the recording andreproducing devices will engage the record in response to their biasing.On raising the control member to an intermediate position the recordingdevice is raised free from the record but the reproducing device is leftin normal engagement therewith, and upon raising the control member 70to its uppermost position both the recording and reproducing devices areraised free of the record. For so raising the control member 70 there isa horizontal lift rod 71, which is parallel to the path of travel of thecarriages and which is carried for parallel up and down .pivotalmovementby a pairof parallel support arms 72 joined to a cross shaft 73,that is journalled in the bridge 40. This lift rod is raised selectivelyinto difierent respective positions. by mechanisms hereinafterdescribed. One such mechanism is simply a side arm 74 secured to therecord clamp lever 41 to cause the lift rod to be raised into itsuppermost position for lifting both the recording and reproducingdevices from the recordas the record I clockwise position shown inFigure 11.

clamp is released, and for allowing the lift rod to be lowered andsubject to other mechanisms hereinafter described as the record clamp isengaged.

At the front portion of the machine there is a cross rod 75 on whichthere is pivotally and slidably mounted both length and correctionindexing punch keys 16 and 17. These punch keys are confined side byside between the side arms of a U-shaped index carriage 76 itself alsoslidably mounted on the cross rod 75. The carriage 76 is moved along therod 75 in accordance with traveling movement of the recording andreproducing devices across the record by a coupling which comprises astationary rack 77 at the front lefthand portion of the machine, apinion 78 engaging the rack and journalled to the adjacent portion ofthe suhcarriage 46 for movement along the rack as the carriage is moved,a drum 79 secured to the rearward side of the pinion and partiallysurrounded by a circular housing 80, a second drum 81 journalled on astationary stud 82 at the front right end of the machine (Figure 2), anda cord 83 trained around the two drums and secured by a clamp 84 to theindexing carriage 76. The ends of the cord are attached to therespective drums and the drum 81 is rotatably biased to serve as atake-up to cause the inter-drum reach of the cord to be moved crosswisein accordance with the travel of the carriages whereby to move theindexing keys along the index slip according to the positioning of therecording and reproducing devices relative to the record.

The audio system of the machine comprises the recording and reproducingdevices 57 and 58, the microphonereceiver 22, amplifying means hereinshown by way of illustration as comprising a recording amplifier 85 anda reproducing amplifier 86 (Figure 4), and an interchange switch 87connecting the transducer 22 to the recorder through amplifier 85 or thereproducer 58 to the transducer through the amplifier 86. This switch isof the double-pole double-throw type. Preferably, the switch is of aconstruction comprising a cylindrical housing 88 (Figure 2) having arotatable cover element 89 for operating the switch. The cover elementhas a pin and slot connection 90 to a slide 91 itself mounted by pin andslot connections, one of which is shown at 92 in Figure 11, to astandard 93 for back and forth movement to operate the switch. The slideis biased leftwardly by a tension spring 94 connected thereto, and inresponse to this biasing the interchange switch is held normally inrecord position shown in Figure 4.

Two separate control means are provided for operating the interchangeswitch into reproducing position through respective one-way couplings aswill appear. A first of these control means comprises afront-to-bacloextending shaft 95 journalled at its rearward end in a lug96 of a standard 97 (Figures 3 and 11), and journalled at its forwardend in a flange 98 (Figure 5) which depends from a long bracket plate 99extending crosswise along the front of the machine, the bracket platebeing mounted on posts 100 and 101 (fractionally shown in Figure 5)upstanding from the lower housing section. The shaft has a dependingrocker arm 102 at its rearward end abutting an ear 91a on the left endof the slide member 91 and is retained by the spring 94 normally in amost The shaft has also an upstanding arm 103 at its forward end whichpivotally engages a cross slot 103a in a slide member 104 (Figure 5),the slide member itself being mounted for reciprocative crosswisemovement on the top of the lefthand portion of the bracket plate 99 bypin and slot mountings 105 and 106 (Figure 6). In response to the biasspring 94, the slide member is retained normally in a rightward positionshown in Figure 6. Mounted on the 'under side of the bracket plate 99 isa U-shaped bracket 107 carrying an electromagnet 108 having a pivotedarmature 109 coupled by a pin and slot connection 110 to the slidemember 104. When the electromagnet is energized, the slide member ispropelled leftwardly to turn the shaft 95 in a. counterclockwisedirection whereby to shift the interchange, switch 87 into reproducingposition against the action of the bias spring 94. This electromagnet isconnected by a circuit 111 and a control switch 112 to the power line 27(Figure 4). The control switch 112 is mounted in the handpiece 21 andoperated by the pushbutton 24 aforementioned.

The second control means for operating the interchange switch 87 toreproduce position comprises a sleeve 113 on the shaft 95. This sleevecarries a rocker arm 114 at its rearward end which is also in abuttingrelation with the slide member 91 (Figure 11). Secured to the forwardend of the sleeve is a rocker arm 115 (Figure having a forked endportion embracing a pin 116 carried by a bail member 117. The bailmember 117 is pivoted on a cross pin 118 carried by an invertedU-bracket 119 (Figures 6, 8, 9 and secured to the under side of thebracket plate 99 as by rivets 120, the two depending legs of the bracketbeing embraced by the bail 117 (Figure 9). The bail 117 has oneextending arm 117a carrying a cross pin 121 which engages aperipherallygrooved wheel 122 pinned to a vertical shaft 123. This shaftis mounted for both vertical and rotational movement invertically-spaced bearings 124 and 125, the upper one of which ismounted in the top wall of the bracket plate 99 and the lower one ofwhich is mounted in a narrow bracket arm 126 depending from this bracketplate. The shaft 123 extends upwardly through a clearance opening 127 inthe upper housing section and has a manual control knob 128 pinned inthe upper end portion thereof. As shown in Figures 1 and 8, the upperhousing section has a well 129 concentric with the opening 1217. Theknob 128 is disposed principally in this well when in its downmost orrecord position, and the well is sutficiently large to provide easyaccess of the hand to the knob to enable the knob to be gripped andraised into a reproduce position.

When the knob is in record position (Figure 8) the bail member 117 is ina counterclockwise position and the sleeve 113 is in a most clockwiseposition. In this positioning of these parts, the rocker arm 114 is justfree of the end of the slide 91 and the interchange switch is in recordposition. Upon lifting the knob 128 into reproduce position, the bailmember 117 is rocked clockwise, the sleeve 113 is turnedcounterclockwise and the rocker arm 114 i moved against the. slide 91 tomove the interchange switch 87 to reproduce position. A strong detentacts on the bail member 117 to hold the knob in reproduce positionagainst the biasing force of the spring 94. This detent, shown in Figure9, comprises a ball 130 in a barrel 131 bridging the legs of the U-bracket 119, the ball being urged by a compression spring 132 in thebarrel against the inner side of the adjacent wall of the bail member.In this adjacent wall there is an opening 133 which comes intoregistration with the ball when the knob 128 is raised to reproduceposition (Figure 10). An extension 1171) on this wall of the bail member(Figures 8 and 10) serves to retain the ball 130 in the barrel when thebail is in its most counterclockwise position shown in Figure 8.

Other control functions are performed by these first and second controlmeans as will herein next appear. Upstanding from the hub of the rockerarm 114 is a second arm 134 carrying a cross pin 135 underlying the liftrod 71. When the control knob 128 is raised into reproduce position toshift the switch 87 into reproduce position, the pin 135 is movedupwardly to raise the lift rod into an intermediate position shownfractionally by dash-dot lines at 136 in Figure 11, whereby to lift therecorder from the record. Also, as the knob 128 is so raised, a pinion137 on the lower end of the shaft 123 is raised into engagement with arack 138 secured to the subcarriage 46. Thus, upon turning the knob 128while it is detented in its reproduce position,

the carriages are shifted to move the recording and reproducing(translating) devices across the record in either forward or backwarddirections, it being understood that the frictional restraint on thefeed nut 48 yields to the force exerted on the carriages to allow suchmanual shifting of these devices.

A further function of the aforestated first control means is tobackspace the translating devices step by step with successiveenergization of the electromagnet 108; however, this backspacing meansis operable only when the control knob 128 is raised to condition themachine for reproducing. This backspacing means comprises a ratchetwheel 139 journalled on the pin of the pin-slot mounting 106aforementioned (Figures 6 and 7) and geared to the shaft 123 by a pinion140 secured to the ratchet wheel and a cooperating gear 141 splined tothe shaft 123, the gear 141 being confined between the top housingsection and the bearing 124 (Figure 8). The ratchet wheel 139 isoperable by a pawl 142 pivoted at 143 to a reciprocable support member144 itself pivoted on the bearing 124 in coaxial relation to the shaft124 (Figure 7). The support member 144 is coupled to the slide member104 by means of a pin and slot connection 145 (Figure 7) to cause thepawl to move past the ratchet wheel with each energization of theelectromagnet. The pawl has a single tooth 146 for engaging the ratchetwheel, and is biased by a spring 147 connected to the support member 144to urge the pawl in the direction to engage the tooth 146 with theratchet wheel when the electromagnet is energized. However, through theengagement of a long extending tailpiece 148 on the pawl with anupstanding finger 149 on the arm 115 (Figures 5, 7 and 8) the pawl iswithheld from the ratchet wheel so long as the control knob 128 ispositioned to condition the machine for recording. However, when thecontrol knob 128 is raised to reproduce position the arm 115 is swungdownwardly to move the finger 149 out of the path of the tailpiece 148.Upon then energizing the electromagnet, the tooth 146 is guided intoengagement with the ratchet wheel, by cam action between a cam face 142aon the pawl 142 and the hub of the ratchet wheel 139, to cause theratchet wheel to be advanced by the distance between two successiveteeth. Such advance of the ratchet wheel is adapted to effect abackspacing of the reproducing device equal to several revolutions ofthe spiral track of the device on the record.

A further function of the aforestated first control means, which also isaccomplished only when the control knob 128 is in reproducing position,is to lift the reproducer from the record just prior to each backspacingstep. The means by which this is accomplished comprises a link 150pivoted to an arm 151 upstanding from the hub of the arm 102. The linkhas a long slot 152 slidably engaging the lift pin 135 on the adjacentam 134. Also, the link has a lug 153 at its free end underlying the liftrod 71. When the control knob 128 is in record position, the arms 114134and the link 150 occupy the full line positions thereof shown in Figure11. Should the electromagnet 108 be then energized the arms 102151 willbe moved to their ,dash-dot-line positions, and the link will be drawnacross the lift pin 135 but without producing any effect. However, ifthe control knob 128 is in reproduce position, the pin 135 will be inits dotted position 135a. Upon then actuating the electromagnet to shiftthe arm 151 into its dashdot position, the link 150 will be slid acrossand pivoted on the pin 135 to cause the link to assume .the dash-dotposition shown in Figure 11. As the link is moved to this position, thelug 153 thereof is moved against the lift rod to raise it to itsuppermost position 136a to cause the reproducer also to be lifted fromthe record.

The advantages of providing remote-control shifting of the audio systeminto reproduce condition while the machine is set at normal conditionfor recording dictation is that, with the reproducer being offset behindthe and then repeatedly press the control knob 24 on the' handset tobackspace the reproducer to the exact point desired. Further, if heshould want to listen back extensively to his recorded dictation, he mayturn the knob 128 after shifting it to reproduce position to backspacethe reproducing device approximately to the desired point, and he maythen press the control knob 24 repeatedly for fine location of thereproducing device on the record.

The advantages afforded by the selective remote control described aboveare not confined to use of the machine as a dictation recorder, but areadapted particularly to realization of a combined machine suitable notonly for recording dictation but also for transcribing recordeddictation. A prime requisite of a transcribing machine is that it beremotely controlled not only as to start-stop control of the drivemechanism but also as to backspacing of the reproducing device. This isnecessary in order that these essential functions may be controlled byremote control members conveniently placed for maximum ease oftranscribing the recorded matter. Since the present machineincorporating my invention is very small and readily portable, it isadmirably adapted to serve both recording and transcribing functions.For example, when the dictator has finished recording dictation in themanner described, his secretary may detach the cable 20 and carry themachine to her oflice. There she would attach a second cable 155 havingthe same electric circuits as the cable 20 and leading to similarcontrol and transducer elements adapted however for transcribing use.For example, as shown in Figure la, these elements may comprise aheadset 156 with earphones 157 replacing the receiver 22, a foot switch158 replacing the start-stop switch 38, and a hand switch 159 replacingthe switch 112 and adapted for mounting at the keyboard of a typewriter.Since the secretarys use of the machine will be only one oftranscribing, she will leave the record-reproduce control knob 128 inreproduce position, and therefore the hand switch 159 will serve only asa backspacing control. Thus, with our invention, there is provided acombined dictation recording and dictation transcribing machine adaptedfor convenient use for either purpose; moreover, in this machine allcontrol elements are utilized at all times in providing maximum ease ofuse of the machine whether that use be for recording or transcribingdictation.

The embodiment of our invention herein particularly shown and describedis intended to be illustrative and not necessarily limitative of ourinvention since the same is subject to changes and modifications withoutdeparture from the scope thereof, which we endeavor to express accordingto the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record,record-cooperable recording and reproducing devices mounted fortraveling movement transversely of said record support, said reproducingdevice being offset behind said recording device relative to thedirection of advance thereof; and a receiver-microphone transducermeans: the combination of an audio system including said devices andtransducer means; an interchangeswitch in said audio system forselectively interconnecting said devices and transducer means tocondition said system for recording and reproducing; means operable tobackspace said reproducing device; control means for said interchangeswitch operable into record and reproduce positions; and a singleactuatable means and operative connections thereto controlled by saidcontrol means for operating'said interchange switch to reproduceposition upon said control means being in record position and foroperating said backspacing means upon said control means being inreproduce position.

2. A translating machine comprising the mechanism set forth in claim 1,adapted to be used alternatively for recording and transcribingdictation, wherein said single actuatable means comprises anelectromagnet mounted in said machine, and a control circuit for saidelectromagnet having a detachable coupling for alternative connection ofa remote control switch adapted either for dietation or transcribinguse.

3. A translating machine comprising the mechanism set forth in claim 1,including an electrically-operable drive for moving said record supportand concurrently effecting traveling movement of said devices; ahandpiece for said transducer means; a cable for connecting saidhandpiece to said machine; a start-stop control switch on said handpiececonnected via said cable to said drive, said single actuatable meanscomprising an electromagnet in said machine; and a second control switchon said handpiece connected via said cable to said electromagnet forcontrolling the latter.

4. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record, acarriage mounted for traveling movement across said support,record-cooperable recording and reproducing devices mounted on saidcarriage for selective engagement with a mounted record, with thereproducing device being offset backwardly from the recording devicerelative to the direction of advance of said carriage, and areceiver-microphone transducer means: the combination of an audio systemincluding said devices and said transducer means; an interchange switchin said audio system for selectively interconnecting said devices andsaid transducer means to condition said system for recording andreproducing; means for controlling engagement of said record-cooperabledevices with a mounted record; means for backspacing said carriage;control means coupled with said interchange switch andengagement-controlling means and operable into record and reproducepositions to cause said recording device to engage the record and saidaudio system to be conditioned for recording when the control means isin record position and to cause said recording device to be free of therecord and said audio system to be conditioned for reproducing when thecontrol means is in reproducing position; and a single actuatable means,and operative connections thereto controlled by said control means, forshifting said audio system back and forth between record and reproduceconditions While said control means is in recording position and foroperating said backspacing means while said control means is inreproducing position.

5. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record,record-cooperable recording and reproducing devices mounted fortraveling movement transversely of said record support; and areceiver-microphone transducer means: the combination of an audio systemincluding said devices and transducer means; an interchange switch insaid audio system for selectively interconnecting said devices andtransducer means to condition said system for recording and reproducing;means operable to backspace said reproducing device; control means forsaid interchange switch operable into record and reproduce positions;and actuatable means and an operative connection thereto controlled bysaid control means and effective to cause operation of said backspacingmeans by said actuatable means only when said control means is inreproducing position.

6. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record,record-cooperable recording and reproducing devices biased to engage amounted record and mounted for traveling movement transversely thereofand a receiver-microphone transducer means: the combination of an audiosystem including said devices and transducer means; a switch in saidaudio system operable to interconnect said devices and said transducermeans to condition said system selectively for recording andreproducing; a first control means for shifting said switch to reproduceposition; a manually-operable second control means having record andreproduce positions and effective when moved to reproduce position forshifting said switch to reproduce position and means, rendered operativeby said second control means as the same is moved to reproduce position,for backspacing said devices by said first control means.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 including means for lifting saidreproducing device from the record with each operation of said firstcontrol means; and means for rendering said last-stated lifting meansoperative and inoperative respectively as said second control means ismoved to reproduce and record positions.

8. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record,record-cooperable recording and repducing devices mounted for travelingmovement transversely of said support, and a receiver-microphonetransducer means: the combination of an audio system including saiddevices and said transducer means; a switch in said audio system forselectively interconnecting said devices and transducer means tocondition said system for recording and reproducing; means biasing saidswitch into recording position; a manual control means on said machineoperable into record and reproduce positions; a plurality of controlconnections to said control means, one of said control connectionscomprising a one-way coupling to said switch for moving the latter toreproduce position as the manual control means is moved to reproduceposition and for allowing return of said switch to record position bysaid biasing means as said manual means is returned to record position;and remotely-controlled electrical actuating means having a one-waycoupling with said switch for operating the same to reproduce positionwhile said manual control means is in record position.

9. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record,record-cooperable recording and reproducing devices mounted fortraveling movement transversely to said record support and forindependent movement towards and away from said support into and out ofengagement with a mounted record, and a receiver-microphone transducermeans: the combination of an audio system including said devices andtransducer means; a switch in said audio system for selectivelyinterconnecting said devices and transducer means to condition saidsystem for recording and reproducing; first and second control means,said second control means being movable between reproduce and otherpositions; means operatively connected to said second control means formoving said switch to reproduce position and for concurrently liftingsaid recorder from the record as said second control means is moved toreproduce position; means operatively connected to said first controlmeans and operable independently of said second control means forlifting also said reproducing device from the record while said secondcontrol means is in reproduce position.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 including reciprocable meansfor intermittently backspacing said devices across the record support;and means for causing actuation of said backspacing means by said firstcontrol means as the latter is actuated to lift said reproducer from therecord.

11. In a dictating machine including a movable support for a record,record-cooperable recording and reproducing devices mounted fortraveling movement transversely to said record support and forindependent movement towards and away from said support into and out ofengagement with a mounted record, and a receivermicrophone transducermeans: the combination of an audio system including said devices andtransducer means; a switch in said audio system for selectivelyinterconnecting said devices and transducer means to condition saidsystem for recording and reproducing; a first control means for movingsaid switch to reproduce position; a second control means for movingsaid switch to reproduce position and for lifting said recording devicefrom the record; and means controlled by said second control means forrendering said first control means operative to lift said reproducingdevice from the record.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 including intermittentbackspacing means for said devices rendered operable and inoperable bysaid second control means respectively as said second control means ismoved to condition said system for reproducing and recording; and meansfor successively operating said backspacing means by said first controlmeans as an incident following each lifting of said reproducing devicefrom the record.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 comprising a manual controlmember on said machine for operating said second control means; anelectromagnet for operating said first control means; and a remoteswitch connected to said electromagnet for selectively controlling thelatter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,066,672 Berard et al. June 5, 1937 2,200,351 Whitehead et a1 May 14,1940 2,277,207 Chenoweth et al. Mar. 29, 1942

